Thursday, December 10, 2009

"a legend like a character out of central casting.."

Bob & Blanche HawkePrime Minister Kevin Rudd

That's how Prime Minister Kevin Rudd described former PM Bob Hawkewhen I asked him for a comment tonight about the great Labor Party hero at his 80th birthday party. I think it was meant as a compliment. He added " I'm pleased he got to 80 and I hope he's around for another 20 years". I expect Bob thinks likewise.

150 of the faithful had gathered at Guillaume atBennelong restaurant at the Sydney Opera House to toast the Golden Bodgie. Hawkie looked his best, resplendent in black tie and his silver mane had never glowed so glossily..
There were a series of endless toasts from Labor luminaries and a recorded messages from Bill Clinton and golfer Greg Norman plus a live hook-up to former British PM Tony Blair who all sung Hawke's praises. And there were 2 billionaire widows in the room-Kerry Packer's widow Ros and Jeanne, the wife of the late Dick Pratt who both proclaimed words along the lines of "Bob was good to us when he was in power". Well yes, quite.

Advertising guru John Singleton who masterminded Hawke's 3 election wins said "Hawke would still be PM today if it hadn't been for events"-possibly a gibe at that other Labor PM Paul Keating who had unseated Hawke in a party room spill. Keating sat looking stoney faced.

Handel's Messiah may have been thrilling a packed Concert Hall in the
main body of the Opera House but this was after all, a celebration for the
party of the working man so what could be more appropriate than a
stripper gram. One with a difference-a slim female in a mask of Hawke's
great adversary, recently trashed PM John Howard . She girated bizarley and slowly stripped. That was enough for tSS-we left just as Bob and Blanche-B1 & B2 were about to cut Bob's birthday cake-a giant golf ball !